


Nellie's Engagement

by FriendvilleFan



Category: American Girl Dolls - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:21:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24814507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FriendvilleFan/pseuds/FriendvilleFan
Summary: Nellie O'Malley is getting married! But she has to break the news to her crazy adopted family of magical time travelers. What will their reactions be? Oh, wait, she's moving to France too and knows it will upset Samantha most of all.
Kudos: 1





	Nellie's Engagement

741 Play Road Gated Community Pretend Friend Ville MA 2018  
“What is the meaning of this?” Felicity demanded in outrage. “We were in the middle of something important here!” Felicity still wore her classic silk blue ball gown since she had come straight from the ball in Argentina although now the beautiful dress was torn and splattered with mud. Glogan stood beside her dressed silly in Felicity’s everyday clothes. Gwen’s head was weighed down with her lightening phone stuffed in her bonnet. A Frisbee hat rested on top in a lame attempt to conceal the hidden weapon. Logan looked like a miniature Betsey Ross. A young colonial man stood next to Felicity. His shaggy chestnut hair was held back with a blue ribbon that matched Felicity’s dress perfectly. Ruggedly handsome, his features were chiseled with concern. He reminded Samantha of an army general about to go to war. When his gaze landed on Felicity, words failed to describe the incredible love shining there. He knew exactly what a big ball of crazy she was, knew about brainwashing Smith, and knew about every terrible act she had ever done yet that love still remained. Samantha knew then that if her loose cannon Felicity ever did settle down and get married someday then this man, Benjamin Davidson, will be the one.   
For now though, Felicity remained completely oblivious to his affections. “We were in the middle of trying to stop L.O.L. (Loyalist Over Liberty) a group of modern day British people from going back in time to stop the American Revolution from ever happening making it so England won instead and you just had to call an emergency family meeting now? If America isn’t a country after this then I’m so blaming you guys!”   
The whole Playroom minus Marie-Grace and the pirate, who were on their honeymoon, were gathering next door in the gated community a.k.a. grandma’s living room for a special family meeting. Whenever a family meeting is called like this then everyone is immediately and magically sucked away from whatever it is they are doing no matter how important. Family comes first. Saving the United States from present day Redcoats was second.   
“Yeah,” Elizabeth added her voice to Felicity’s outrage. She was standing next to Percival John Bentley the second; Charles’s good friend and Elizabeth’s escort to the ball in Argentina. Elizabeth had disappeared with him shortly afterwards and everyone was dying to know what she was up to and if she was falling in love with Percival. “S.A.F.E. (Saving America From England) is depending on us to help before L.O.L. wipes them out completely!”  
“Wow,” said Bitty Q. “L.O.L. and S.A.F.E.? You guys are terrible at acronyms.”  
“Thank you!” Elizabeth said with a smirk towards Percy.   
Gwen said, “How come it’s okay to just pull us away from that but it’s not okay to interrupt the pirate’s honeymoon?”  
“Yeah,” agreed Logan. “Just think if the butterfly effect if L.O.L. succeeds. The whole world as we know it is at stake here! Why can’t the lovebirds stop whatever it is they are doing? Surely that’s not as important?”  
“Ahh,” said Samantha blushing. “That’s different. They cannot be disturbed for a family meeting.” Samantha knew the newlyweds absence weighed heavily on their minds. Even though he hadn’t technically been part of the family, the pirate had been coming to family meetings longer than Eddie. This was his first absence in six years. A honeymoon was a great reason for not being here and it could not be interrupted especially not for a family meeting. Part of the new developing playroom tradition was that when you are on your honeymoons then under no circumstances is there to be any contact whatsoever from the rest of the family. It was a good rule because it kept some of the crazies from ruining that special time as you are beginning to know each other as husband and wife. No one wants Bitty Baby on their honeymoon. It was a hard but necessary step for the Playroom family to step back and let go. Besides, the pirate and his new wife already knew the news that was going to be revealed at this meeting.   
“And we can be interrupted? When the fate of the world is depending on us? I will never understand that rule,” said Gwen.   
“Why do we need a family meeting anyway?” asked Logan.   
Bitty F. said softly, “The last time we had a family meeting Marie-Grace announced she was getting married and Samantha------” Bitty F. broke off with a sob, her gaze landing on Samantha’s large midsection. Samantha winced wishing Bitty’s hurt over feeling replaced by the new baby did not make her feel so guilty. She was a married woman. She had done nothing wrong and had nothing to be ashamed of. This should be joyous news for everyone. So why the intense guilt whenever Bitty looked at her like that? Eddie squeezed Samantha’s hand and kissed her cheek. She lifted her head to meet his gaze. A look of understanding passed between them, a type of look that said it all and absolutely nothing at the same time.   
“What could possibly happen now?” moaned Bitty Quansa.   
Molly said, “If this is a family meeting then why is Percival John Bentley the second and that colonial man here? As far as I know they’re not family. Unless you have something you’d like to tell us, Felicity, hmm?” This would not be the first time Felicity tried elopement. Once she practically had Smith, Reggie and Charles chained to the alter. And after she married her best friend Elizabeth off to an alien prince on the moon in attempts to make a peace treaty between humans and aliens, the marriage being void on planet earth of course, no one trusted her not to do it again.   
“No!” Felicity’s cheeks flamed a deeper shade of scarlet than anyone had ever seen before. “I mean, Ben is my friend! Anything you can say to me you can say to him.”  
Elizabeth nodded. “Same goes with Percy.”   
Everyone stared at her. Gwen said, “So it’s just Percy now, huh?”   
“Getting a little too cozy over there, Elizabeth?” said Logan.   
Elizabeth flushed red. Percy came to her rescue. “I prefer Percy.”  
“Either way he’s not family!” said Molly. “Therefore should not be at family meeting.”  
“The pirate wasn’t family yet he came to these meeting for years,” said Cecile.   
Baa!” said Gwen. “That was a special case. We all knew he would be family someday. I feel like I know the pirate better than I know Marie-Grace and she is my sister!”  
Cecile said, “Well, when you made no effort to talk to her instead going off to play with the pirate of course that’s going to happen.”  
“Anything you’d like to tell us, Elizabeth?” asked Logan making a kissy face.  
“No,” Elizabeth mumbled. Percy gave her a small smile.   
“Non-family members must leave!” Molly insisted.   
Nellie rolled her eyes. “I’ll allow it.” Then she muttered to Samantha under her breath, “Hopefully having Ben here to comfort Felicity will soften the blow.”   
Samantha giggled. “I doubt it. Charles is her dearest friend you know.”  
“Urgh, don’t remind me.”  
“What? You don’t want squid woman third wheeling your honeymoon?”  
“No! How many times has she tried to drag Charles down in the aisle in handcuffs?”   
“Excuse me!” Felicity shouted. “Can we get this over with please? Again, pressing matters to attend to here!”  
“Alright.” Nellie took a deep breath. All eyes turned to stare at her. Nellie looked to Samantha again pleading, oh, help me out here!  
Samantha shook her head slowly, placed one hand on her belly and gripped Eddie’s tighter with the other one. Nellie was on her own. Samantha already made her share of disturbing announcements. It was Nellie’s turn.  
“Well?” said Logan. “We’re waiting!”   
“And none too patiently,” muttered Eddie to Samantha. She smiled and shushed him with a smack on the arm.   
“Well,” said Nellie slowly drawing out the word.   
“Spit it out already!” Gwen said.   
“Charles proposed!”  
Logan broke the stunned silence by saying, “Proposed what? A business meeting? A construction plan?”  
“Nooo,” said Nellie cautiously. “Not exactly.”   
Samantha slapped a hand to her forehead wishing she could say no, marriage you dummy!  
“What did he propose then?” asked Gwen innocently. “What other kind of proposal is there except a business idea? Oh, oh! No! He didn’t----?”  
Nellie nodded. “Charles and I are getting married.”  
Logan screamed. Bitty Fatterson cried and fell face down on the ground. Bitty Quansa also cried and pig piled on top of her friend. Felicity wailed a lover’s heartbroken cry and then went berserker. She lunged forward only to be caught in Ben’s arms. “Oh, Charles!” Felicity howled. “It was supposed to be me! What we had together-----”  
Ben slapped her. “Snap out of it soldier! He was never meant for you. He was a fool for passing you up. How could you be so blind as to want him when I’m-----” right here? He broke off in a choked cough before he could say it.   
Either way, Felicity melted in Ben’s arms still wailing Charles’s name despite being utterly shocked that her proper friend Ben would dare slap a woman.   
To be honest, Felicity never really had a romantic relationship with Charles Frederick George Wilmington the Third. They happened to meet on Easter Island four years ago while Felicity was trying to stop an evil villain’s convention. It turned out that Charles was actually the pirate’s second mate and best friend. Not the evil one, which was a robot decoy planted by Martha. The real second mate, Charles, left the pirate’s crew the week before Marie-Grace was kidnapped so he could be free to pursue a different sort of life. Rescuing orphans and posing as a pirate was all very well and good, but Charles felt that was the Captain’s calling and he needed to branch out on his own. He just wanted a change. So he packed up and departed in the middle of the night leaving a note for his friend. Only the Captain of the French Pirates never got that letter. That’s when the robot decoy of him was planted although no one knew that guy had been a robot until Felicity met Charles and they discovered he was actually the real and good second mate. The pirate was delighted to find out his friend wasn’t evil and he was more than a little embarrassed to realize he couldn’t discern his true friend from a robot decoy. Charles Frederick George Wilmington the third and the pirate were best friends. That’s why the pirate and Marie-Grace already knew about Nellie’s wedding. Charles had asked the Captain to be his best man. Of course, Charles had been the pirate’s best man at his wedding too.   
Charles stole the hearts of the playroom people as well. Mostly he chatted with Felicity over long obscure phone calls and they talked on paper by constantly writing messages. Like a text only with real paper and pens and more than a bit of magic to make it work. Felicity would write something and then the page would magically be sent to Charles and he would write something in response. Charles also was friends with Emily for a while chatting on paper in the same way and starring in Bitty’s musical Teen Werewolf. For a while, Emily and Felicity both secretly fought over Charles the same way they fought over Smith. Charles was never interested in either one of them. At best, he tolerated Felicity. He liked Emily, thought she was a sweet kid and liked spending time with her, but never had any romantic interest in her. Charles believed he would rather endure medieval torture than fall in love with anyone from the playroom. Until he laid eyes on Nellie O’Malley and all that changed.   
Nellie and Charles were a secret mystery. Their relationship was never made into a Broadway musical like the pirate and Marie-Grace. Mime #52 never wrote a story about them. They were not verbally attacking each other in front of the playroom family like Samantha and Eddie. It wasn’t a romantic fling of Felicity flaunted for the whole world to see. Simply no one except maybe Samantha knew they were in love in the first place. This was why it was so hard for everyone to grasp the idea of Nellie getting married. They did not know Charles like they knew the Captain of the French Pirates or Eddie Ryland.   
Felicity and Charles were friends yes, but the rest was imagined in her head. Deep down she knew this day was coming. She just never thought it would be with her family member Nellie or that this would be their second wedding in one summer. Again, Felicity was feeling the pressure to be something she wasn’t ready to be for now 3/8 of the Big Girls were married. That’s almost half. The expression of those feelings came out in a seemingly unhealthy obsession for random guys of the past.   
Ben wasn’t sure how to react. He was 244 years into the future, totally out of his element, and fighting a war greater than the one he fought in back in time. A sobbing girl was clinging to him with her clenched hands twining his shirt into a snot rag. To make things even better said sobbing girl’s family was surrounding them with peeked interest. And she just happened to be the girl he was in love with, the one he would willingly give his life for, and she was pinning over a different man who was marrying her sister next week. Oh, dear. What to do? He didn’t have to think very hard or very long. Ben scooped Felicity up in his arms and made a dashing exit saying, “I think it’s best if we leave now.”  
“Since when were you and Charles dating?” Gwen asked Nellie. “And why keep it a secret?”  
Samantha gestured to where Felicity had been standing. “That’s why.”   
“And how come Charles isn’t here to announce this with you?” said Big Dolly. “The pirate and Eddie were here when their weddings were announced. What, not man enough to face us?”  
“Um. . . .” said Nellie. “I-----”  
“Oh, excuses, excuses, excuses,” said Gwen. “We’re lucky they didn’t elope!”  
“I feel like I don’t know Charles at all,” Big Dolly continued. “I mean, most of us have had at least one two second conversation with him at one point------”  
“At least he has a name,” Molly put in. “Unlike Marie-Grace who married a man whose name she does not know.”   
“Yeah, but he’s the pirate,” said Gwen. “We know him on a really deep level. He’s been the brother we’ve never wanted for the last six years! This Charles guy is just a name to me. He could be an ax murderer for all we know!”  
“And the pirate who has killed in battle isn’t?” exclaimed Molly.  
“Charles saw his share of battle too,” retorted Gwen. “He was the second mate, remember? And how do you know he doesn’t have some weird fascination for killing in cold blood or something? Maybe the robot wasn’t a robot after all and it really was Charles all along!”  
Molly decided it was time to take Emily and exit. They would discuss it at their leisure and probably be in complete agreement with each other and no strange comments from goofy Gwen. Molly wasn’t stupid. She saw all the signs in Nellie that everyone was too blind to spot. She did feel a bit bad for her friend Emily though. Once again Emily was rejected by some guy in favor of another one of her adopted sisters. Emily said she was fine with it, that it was her role to write everyone else’s stories and not live one of her own and she was completely content on the sidelines. Molly knew the truth. Emily wished more than anything that she could be Nellie, Marie-Grace, Samantha, Felicity, or anyone really. Someone interesting. Someone actually living and not writing about someone else’s life. The one in love, the one starring in a musical, the one fighting crime, the one traveling back in time, the one quietly dating behind everyone’s back, or one of the beautiful brides walking down the aisle. Emily wasn’t picky. She just wanted an adventure of her own, a story of her own to write about. Right now it seemed so far out of reach like that was NEVER going to happen.   
Logan, one of the ones Nellie and Samantha were most worried would freak, remained oddly silent. Logan was sad Nellie was leaving, but to be honest she had always felt more connected to Samantha. Samantha had been the mother figure in her life. The only time Nellie assumed that role for Logan was on vacation when Samantha was not there. Logan grinned to herself thinking that with Samantha busy with a new baby and Nellie off in newlywed la la land then Logan would be able to get away with a lot more mischief. No, Logan’s silence did not mean she was growing up like Samantha and Nellie hoped. It meant come on Gwen; we have lots of planning to do.   
“I am going to make an effort to get to know Charles,” Big. D. announced suddenly. “Come on Parker, we’re going on a fishing trip.”  
Parker’s brow furrowed. “Why fishing?”  
“Because that’s how all man to man bonding happens. You’re my man and you’re my worm digger. I’m not touching that it’s gross. I’ll do the questioning while you make it seem casual.”  
Parker shrugged. “Okay. As you wish Madame D.”   
As they walked off together, Samantha couldn’t help but wonder when they became so grown up. Or so interested in interrogation. They probably picked it up from Samantha herself.   
Bitty Quansa said, “I am going home and I’m going to take a large sleeping pill and hope I wake up from this nightmare.” Both Bitty Babies went home to pass out in Samantha’s old bed then turned Nellie’s bed.   
“Oh, Bitty, no.” Samantha tried to follow but was restrained by her husband who insisted, “Just let ‘em go this time, Sam.”  
She grumbled alright and then called after Bitty, “Don’t touch the pink bottle on Glogan’s shelf----” Samantha broke off knowing it was hopeless and that they probably did take the magical sleeping beauty version that required a true love’s kiss to be awakened.   
Soon everyone drifted off to do their own thing until only Samantha, Eddie, Nellie and Cecile were left. “So what are you thinking of all this?” Samantha said to Cecile.   
Cecile sat on the sofa and shrugged. “Congratulations? I mean, I think it’s wonderful you all are living happily ever after, but it doesn’t really affect my life too much.”   
Nellie wearily sank into the seat beside her. “Well, I’m just going to sit here awkwardly. Should I do something about the Bitties? They seem really upset.”  
Samantha shook her head. “Leave them be for now.”  
Nellie nodded hoping that when the Bitties were ready to either talk or throw a tantrum that they would go to Samantha and not her so she would not have to deal with them.   
Eddie stood and took Samantha’s hand in his. “Well, I think I’ll take my wife home now if that’s alright with you folks. You’ve held her captive at your house for the last couple days and I would kinda like her back.”   
“Need me for anything else Nellie?” Samantha wanted to stay with her friend in her hour of celebration or emotional distress, but home to Castle Street with her husband did sound awfully good right now.   
Nellie shooed her away. “Go, go.”  
Eddie was practically dragging Samantha away yet still she paused. “Are you sure?”  
“Yes! Go home and rest. That baby of yours requires it.” Samantha was suddenly very, very exhausted. She allowed Eddie to lead her home.   
Samantha was the one most devastated by Nellie’s wedding. Number one she was unhappy about being a bloated whale for her best friend’s wedding. It was not how she had ever pictured her friend’s special day. With her pregnancy, Samantha had gained so much weight so fast and as Nellie’s best friend she was the Matron of Honor. They had spent the last two days trying dresses on Samantha in hopes of something that could A close in the back and B look halfway decent. The emotional mess Samantha kept wailing through her tears, “Oh, Nellie, I’m sorry I’m so fat and ugly for your special day! Of course a hideous bridesmaid will only make you shine brighter.”  
Nellie assured Samantha that it was alright saying it was for a very good reason. It would have been far more embarrassing if for no reason Samantha had suddenly gained tons of weight and there was no baby. Samantha agreed whole heartedly. Her baby was an excellent reason to look like a bloated whale for her best friend’s wedding. There was nothing anyone could do about it. The timing of things was not working in their favor. It’s not like Nellie planned this wedding in advance. Like Marie-Grace she was only engaged for a week or so. And it’s not like Samantha had any control over when baby decided to make an entrance in the world.   
The color scheme of Nellie’s wedding was pink. Very spring like in comparison to the sea themed pirate wedding they just had. Samantha had a hard time finding any outfits that fit lately. Her own clothes no longer fit. Before Marie-Grace’s wedding Samantha and Nellie spent a few days working on Samantha’s maternity wardrobe. Mostly the big ball gowns with the giant skirts fit if she tugged the waist up over the bulge. Build a Bear dresses as well as a few of Samantha’s own outfits now fit as shirts. Felicity had one huge purple skirt that she never wore because it was so baggy. Samantha filled it out perfectly and thought she was probably going to end up wearing it every day for the next nine months. At long last there was one dress pink dress of Nellie’s that sort of fit good enough for the wedding. Molly was Nellie's other bridesmaid and she always looked so bad in the color pink that everyone liked to joke about how Nellie was going to have the two ugliest bridesmaids ever.  
Eddie Ryland, good husband that he was, kissed his wife and told her she was going to be the most beautiful one up there in his eyes. Of course Samantha did not believe him, but appreciated his compliments nonetheless. The old Eddie Ryland she once knew would have delighted in teasing her. He still took great joy in teasing her, yet not about this one particular thing. It was a sensitive subject for her and he always respected the certain lines he knew he could not cross. He had grown up and knew happy wife meant happy life. It was his child she was carrying and teasing her about her wardrobe or waistline would indeed make him a total jerk. Eddie vowed as her husband that he would most definitely not be a blockheaded fool, not to his beloved Sam.   
Samantha was happy for her friend Nellie, of course, but she knew something the rest of the family did not know yet. As a former French pirate despite a very English sounding name, Charles Frederick George Wilmington the third lived in France. His house was there, his life was there. He would be taking his bride away to France. Samantha was heartbroken over the thought of her best friend moving to France. Samantha and Nellie were a team. They were always together, always nearby, always there. Having Nellie on the other side of the ocean ripped Samantha’s heart out. Nellie would miss Gwen and Logan’s first dates, the babies entering their teen years (oh, gosh the awkward horror of that thought!), and finally the birth of this baby. Nellie would not be here for any of that. She pictured Nellie holding the baby, helping out, watching out for Bitty Baby when Samantha couldn’t. Now that would be impossible. Nellie was going to miss out on so much that happens in this family.   
Samantha always dreamed she and Nellie would raise their families next door to each other. That they would be deeply involved in each other’s growing families while still keeping a close eye on their adopted sisters. With Nellie living in France all of those dreams died a painful death. Yes, Samantha still had Eddie. But he was no replacement for her best friend. She needed her girl talks with Nellie. Nellie was really Samantha’s only friend beside her husband. What would Samantha do without Nellie? It felt the world as she knew it was crashing to an end.   
Nellie decided not to tell the whole family that she was moving to France just yet. They were all too upset over the fact she was getting married at all. They all, except Samantha and Eddie, assumed Charles would sell the house in France and then move to America. They had no idea Charles had no intention of uprooting his life there. He planned to take the bride away. The France part would throw the family over the deep end. Bitty Baby was already so upset as it was. Nellie felt guilty, but she did not want her wedding day ruined because everyone was in mourning over the fact she was moving to France. They would find out later. Perhaps it was unfair to Samantha who would still be here to deal with the aftermath, but Nellie wasn’t ready to deal that death blow to her family. They were already upset the pirate and Marie-Grace were living at sea six months of the year At least they were on Play Road for the other six.   
Yes, Samantha was very happy for Nellie in that she was getting her fairy tale happy ending too. They would still be friends, yet that friendship would be forever changed and altered by time, distance, husbands and babies. Samantha would miss Nellie more than words can say.   
As Samantha thought of Nellie leaving her to live with Charles in France forever, she leaned into Eddie and wept uncontrollably. “Oh, Sam,” Eddie murmured into her hair. They would survive without Nellie, yet he knew better than to say that in this moment when they both were so caught up in missing her terribly.


End file.
